SmartLite Director vs Freefly Ember
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SmartLite Director
Control multiple smart lighting fixtures with intuitive gestures on your mobile device. Match ambient scene colors using your device's camera and save custom presets for dynamic lighting setups.
- Intuitive gesture-based fixture control
- Adjust intensity and color with one/two-finger slides
- Match ambient scene color with device camera
- Create and save custom scene presets
- Group control for multiple fixtures
- Classic left/right fader interface
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The next generation in smart lighting control from Litepanels Engineering is here! The innovative Director Interface allows you to intuitively adjust both the color and intensity of multiple connected fixtures: • Create a fixture control box, then slide up and down with one finger to adjust fixture intensity • Slide with two fingers to adjust color • Double tap the control box to deactivate that fixture • The group control box allows you to control the intensity of multiple fixtures all at once Use your iPad or iPhone camera to sense the ambient scene color: • Match the scene color with or without the impact of your Litepanels fixtures • Use with a mobile device stand and match in real time for color dynamic setups. Scene Presets: • Use built in factory color presets or create your own We’ve also retained the classic Devices Interface to allow you to control your fixtures with traditional left/right faders just like you would with the SmartLite!
Freefly Ember
Control your Freefly Ember camera wirelessly from your iOS or iPadOS device. Adjust settings, review footage instantly, and export your best shots with ease. The app mirrors your camera's on-screen interface for a seamless workflow.
- Wireless camera connection
- Live preview
- Remote camera settings adjustment
- Instant video playback
- Export selected video clips
- Synced user interface
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Introducing remote wireless control for your Freefly Ember on iOS and iPadOS. Quickly adjust your camera settings, enjoy instant playback, and easily export your favorite shots, all directly from the app. The Ember app replicates all camera controls available on the on-camera UI, providing a cohesive and intuitive experience. Any changes made on your camera are reflected in the app instantly, ensuring you're always in full control. Key Features: Wireless Connection: Connect the app to your Freely Ember camera via the camera’s WiFi network to view live preview and control your camera settings. Instant Playback: Replay your shots instantly, allowing you to check and perfect your videos on the go. Export: Specify in/out points on videos and transfer your shots directly from the camera to your device with a few simple taps. Synced UI: Changes made on your camera are instantly mirrored on the app for a seamless experience. Video playback requires a device that supports ProRes decoding: iPhone 13 and newer iPad Mini 6th generation and newer iPad Pro 12.9” 5th generation and newer iPad Pro 11” 3rd generation and newer iPad Air 5th generation and newer Ensure your device's compatibility for the best experience.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Freefly Ember at 100% against SmartLite Director's 10%. Freefly Ember also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.6) and update cadence (monthly vs every 14 months). SmartLite Director's advantage is ratings volume (25 vs 6) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Freefly Ember holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 10% of SmartLite Director's written reviews are positive against 100% of Freefly Ember's.
SmartLite Director ships an update every 14 months, Freefly Ember monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SmartLite Director | Freefly Ember |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.6 (25 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 9.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 25 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 137 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Videndum Production Solutions, Inc. | FREEFLY SYSTEMS INC. |
Customer experience
SmartLite Director
Freefly Ember
In-app purchases
SmartLite Director
No in-app purchases
Freefly Ember
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SmartLite Director free?
Is Freefly Ember free?
Which has better reviews, SmartLite Director or Freefly Ember?
Do SmartLite Director or Freefly Ember have ads?
Which is updated more often, SmartLite Director or Freefly Ember?
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